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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. press — a publisher
  3. board — to get on
  4. staff — employees
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. lean — thin
  11. race — a contest
  12. can — a tin
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mate — a friend
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. race — humankind
  22. staff — a stick
  23. race — the arms race
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com